Los Angeles Lakers Best Free Agent Options

The Los Angeles Lakers have an opportunity to hit the accelerator on the path back to respectability when free agency opens late Thursday night. While the Lakers have carefully cultivated a really nice group of young players, the roughly $60 million of available cap space they possess could help lure players to boost their rebuild. Already Los Angeles has made it clear it has targets picked out.

The Lakers top priorities are adding a wing who can score and a rim protector to bolster the team’s defense. With D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Lou Williams, Larry Nance Jr., Nick Young and Anthony Brown under contract, and Jordan Clarkson almost sure to re-sign, there are plenty of openings on the roster.

First, let me just get this out of the way: Kevin Durant is not walking through that door. Lakers fans need to temper their expectations because the team is likely at least two years away from seriously competing.

While Russell, Clarkson and Randle are virtually assured starting spots, the rest of the lineup is pretty up in the air. It’s like Ingram will open his career coming off the bench, which leaves a void at one wing spot.

The latest rumor has the Lakers targeting Chandler Parsons to fill that wing-scoring opening.

Nicolas Batum would be the best option at that spot, but almost everyone believes the 27-year-old Frenchman will re-sign with the Charlotte Bobcats. Kent Bazemore is also a possibility, and the former Laker is coming off an excellent season with the Atlanta Hawks. But signing a guy with a short track record of success to a big-money deal is almost never a good idea.

Parsons turned down his $16 million option for 2016-17 with the Dallas Mavericks and clearly believes he’ll get a max contract offer. He suffered a few injuries during his two years with the Mavericks and is currently recovering from a meniscus tear in his right knee. He underwent surgery in March and should be close to 100 percent now.

The 27-year-old is an imposing presence on the perimeter, given his 6-foot-10, 230-pound frame. He set career-highs in field goal percentage (49.2) and 3-point percentage (41.4) last season. His PER dipped slightly (from 16.37 to 16.31), but his usage rate (19.5), true shooting percentage (58.9), defensive rebound rate (15.6) also reached career-bests. He posted 4.3 win shares and 1.6 defensive win shares.

None of those numbers will blow anyone’s skirt up, but Parsons is a solid option to add scoring punch on the perimeter while not being a complete hole defensively. Given that new head coach Luke Walton wants to move the ball and play an up-tempo style, Parsons would be a good fit.

In the post, the Lakers are looking to add a rim protector and some scoring punch. Hassan Whiteside appeared to be an option, but he is reportedly concentrating on returning to the Miami Heat or heading to the Mavericks. While Whiteside has put up flashy block and rebound numbers, his advanced metrics show a wildly inefficient player who isn’t actually a good defender. He’s basically what JaVale McGee used to be.

The real target for the Lakers should be Al Horford, who appears set to leave the Atlanta Hawks after playing his first nine seasons there. Horford is a four-time All-Star who has been incredibly consistent over the course of his career.

The 30-year old posted 9.4 win shares last season including 4.5 defensive win shares. His true shooting percentage of 56.5 was in line with his career mark of 57.0 and given his playing style he’ll likely maintain his current production levels (or close to them) for a few more years. Horford is coming off two All-Star seasons, has been remarkably durable and would give the Lakers’ young core an established veteran, with a great reputation, to look up to.

Adding Horford would be similar to what the Golden State Warriors did when they signed Andre Iguodala before the 2013-14 season. They gave their young players an established professional leader to emulate. That move worked out pretty well for the Warriors.

Horford is going to have a ton of suitors when free agency opens, so there’s no guarantee he winds up with the Lakers or that he’s even interested.

Backup options at the center spot would be Bismack Biyombo – who is likely to get overpaid after a nice showing in the playoffs – and Festus Ezeli. Ezeli has a familiarity with Walton from his turn as Golden State’s top assistant, but also looks like a guy who will get overpaid despite limited production.

Adding Parsons and Horford would be a big deal for Los Angeles, but banking on that happening would be a mistake. If the Lakers miss out on the big names, they must at least sign a smart, veteran leader to own the locker room. At worst that would let the young guys play serious minutes and develop with almost no expectations.

In the end, there is nothing that says the Lakers must spend their available cap space this summer. Next year’s free agent crop will be much deeper and Los Angeles would be wise to leave some room to spend then. But perception is reality in the NBA and failing to sign anyone this summer would be an awful look for an organization trying to re-establish its credibility.